Think of your forefathers! Think of your posterity!

Think of your forefathers! Think of your posterity!

I despise mankind in all its strata; I foresee that our
descendants will be still far unhappier than we read more

I despise mankind in all its strata; I foresee that our
descendants will be still far unhappier than we are. Would I not
be a criminal if, notwithstanding this view, I should provide for
progeny, i.e. for unfortunates?
[Ger., Ich verachte die Menschheit in allen ihren Schichten; ich
sehe es voraus, dass unsere Nachkommen noch weit unglucklicher
sein werden, als wir. Sollte ich nicht ein Sunder sein, wenn ich
trotz dieser Ansicht fur Nachkommen, d.h. fur Ungluckliche
sorgte?

Never forget posterity when devising a policy. Never think of posterity when making a speech.

Never forget posterity when devising a policy. Never think of posterity when making a speech.

What has poster'ty done for us,
That we, lest they their rights should lose,
Should trust our read more

What has poster'ty done for us,
That we, lest they their rights should lose,
Should trust our necks to gripe of noose?

The nations which have put mankind and posterity most in their debt have been small states Israel, Athens, Florence, Elizabethan read more

The nations which have put mankind and posterity most in their debt have been small states Israel, Athens, Florence, Elizabethan England

A foreign nation is a kind of contemporaneous posterity.

A foreign nation is a kind of contemporaneous posterity.

After all, it is style alone by which posterity will judge of a great work, for an author can have read more

After all, it is style alone by which posterity will judge of a great work, for an author can have nothing truly his own but his style

What dazzles, for the moment spends its spirit;
What's genuine, shall posterity inherit.
[Ger., Was glanzt ist read more

What dazzles, for the moment spends its spirit;
What's genuine, shall posterity inherit.
[Ger., Was glanzt ist fur den Augenblick geboren;
Das Aechte bleibt der Nachwelt unverloren.]

I hope that posterity will judge me kindly, not only as to the things which I have explained, but also read more

I hope that posterity will judge me kindly, not only as to the things which I have explained, but also to those which I have intentionally omitted so as to leave to others the pleasure of discovery.